


The vessel

by lovelorn78



Category: Humans (TV), Lanita, l - Fandom, lamia - Fandom
Genre: Canon Lesbian Relationship, F/F, Kissing in the Rain, Lesbian first time, lesbian angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-04-12 14:02:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4481975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelorn78/pseuds/lovelorn78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The journey from sentience to love. laura and anita's meeting and what That meeting would mean for them both</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The vessel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laura had always prided herself on her rational and by the numbers approach to life. On many an occasion it had spared her from reliving the hurt her mother had dealt her in childhood.

  
As time passed Laura had become a prisoner of her status quo, caged behind the walls she herself had raised. As much as Laura loved her family, her self imposed distance kept her from truly being a part of it.That is until the day Joe brought Anita into their lives. From the very beginning Laura could sense within her that Anita was more than meets the eye.

  
Even amidst the skepticism she was met with by her family, she knew that Anita was something more than just an empty vessel encased in a beautiful shell. Proof of it was played before her the night she witnessed Anita staring in stoic wonder at a full moon.

  
Yet, something else was happening to Laura that she could not quite place. Something within herself was beginning to change. She merely chalked it up to curiosity when it was something more, but she had no way to know what it was.

  
Every day Anita would give subtle signs of a humanity she should NOT posses, and in turn, without Laura realizing, a bit of her wall would begin to crack. Laura would NOT and could NOT admit to herself that by now it was more than mere human curiosity that was guiding her steps.

  
With every breach of synth protocol she couldn't help but become more enthralled by Anita. At times Laura would stare into Anita's eyes and admonish herself for believing she could see life within the glassy green gleam within them.

  
Anita was a synthetic form built solely for the purpose of being a nurturer and mother to Leo, her creator's son, and now the Hawkins family. After being taken from Leo, having been reprogrammed and sold to Joe Hawkins, Laura's husband, Anita began to have random recollections of her former life.

  
As a synthetic form of life Anita should NOT posses feelings and as such attempted to control them as best she could.

  
as hard as she tried Laura could see through it and that in turn made Anita both cautious yet intrigued as to how laura could see through her with such ease.  
Laura was an expert at facades. She had spent years carefully creating one for herself to hide her pain, so why wouldn't she be an expert at seeing through Anita's facade of feigned synth compliance?

  
At first there had been resistance on Laura's part. She felt that her walls had created a way for her to be displaced by Anita within her family. She slowly saw how with each passing day Anita won over her family one by one starting with Sophie Hawkins Laura's, precocious young daughter. Next she won over the resentful Mattie Hawkins, Laura's teenage daughter who had at first had only perceived Anita as a threat. She then won over Toby Hawkins, Laura's only son, even though it was NOT a completely complicated task since Toby became enamored by Anita as young men tend to do at his age.

  
The only Hawkins not won over by Anita was Joe Hawkins himself. Joe had purchased Anita as one does a toaster or a vacuum in the hopes of assisting him in running his household as a more aesthetically pleasing version of Rosie the Robot from the Jetsons .

  
Joe could NOT see the light of sentience that Laura could see. To Joe, Anita was nothing more and nothing less than a machine built with the sole purpose to serve a human master. Yet that perception would soon change the day Anita risked her own synth existence to save Toby from certain death.

  
On that day everything changed because for Laura it became the final sign she required to confirm that Anita could feel!

  
That ultimate sacrifice confirmed a humanity she already knew was there. Sadly for Joe it was just further proof that Anita was a machine performing the task of guarding its masters as she was programmed to do.

  
It would be these diverging perceptions that would destroy a marriage that had already been agonizing for years.

  
Laura and Joe were together for their children but had been distant for many years before Anita appeared in their lives. Two people who once loved each other were now mere strangers held together by the tattered seams of complacency and unity for the sake of their children.

  
Those seams would irreparably be torn in the blink of an eye the fateful day Joe's frustration and loneliness caused him to cross a line from which there would be no return.

  
Laura had gone in search of answers to whether Anita was the only one of her kind. In her absence and the absence of the elder Hawkins children, Joe served himself a few drinks and began venting his amorous frustrations onto Anita. He then decided no harm would come from installing the 18+ adult chip that engaged a sexual program in Anita's system. It had been given to him by Anita's vendor as a purchase bonus.

  
Once the process of activation was complete, Anita gave Joe a blatant sign of her sentience by reminding him that what he was going to do would not substitute intimacy with Laura.

  
Yet, again he could not bring himself to see Anita as anything more than a machine.

  
Joe then proceeded to satiate his most base instinct by possessing Anita as a dog would if in heat, only to be enveloped by a sense of guilt. A guilt not stemming from violating Anita, but in having satiated his sexual need with a machine in the absence of his wife.

  
As a user clears a computer's hard drive, Joe ordered Anita to erase his transgressions from the recesses of her synthetic memory bank. In the end it was his son Toby, with disheartening disappointment, that became aware of the fact that his father has been unfaithful  
Toby still attempted to spare his mother the devastation of his father's betrayal by placing blame upon himself. to no avail because in a moment of clarity Joe realised he must purge himself of his guilt and be truthful, no matter what the cost.

  
As Joe opened up to Laura her confusion at his rambling turns into the anger of betrayal then disgust at realizing the magnitude of what he had done.  
A magnitude that he himself could still not see! To Joe, Anita was nothing more than a machine and it perplexed him as to why Laura could deem his transgression as anything but having entertained himself in his loneliness with a lifelike sex toy.

  
The man who was the father of her children and a man she once loved had now, through distance and the mundaneness of everyday life, had become an unrecognizable stranger to her.

  
Laura angrily requested that Joe leave their home as he did Laura began to wonder why she was so angry and unable to bring herself to forgive the man who had been by her side for years.

  
For the life of her she couldn't understand why her thoughts kept wandering to Anita.

  
She admonished herself for wondering what Anita was feeling and whether she was ok, when Laura was the one betrayed in the vilest way.

  
Now alone in that home with Anita, Laura could only bite her tongue wondering if in that moment with Joe, Anita had felt something for him. She wanted to ask but every time she found the nerve she would back down, afraid of what the answer might be.

  
It would mean she would have to admit to herself the real reason she was jealous.

  
She could not and would not ever admit to herself what she was slowly realizing she was feeling. The implications frightened her more than anything.


	2. The Vessel    ch.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rainy night the only witness to Laura and Anita's forbidden love

Night had fallen and in the Hawkins home, the deafening sound of quiet enveloped every corner as Laura wandered aimlessly through her home. She traversed from room to room checking if Mattie, Toby and Sophie were asleep and accounted for in their respective beds.

Every Hawkins was accounted for, even Joe who had volunteered to spend the evening as a precautionary measure until the dust had settled from the events leading to the synths abrupt departure. Laura made her way into the kitchen to make herself some coffee.

Afterwards Laura, with mug in hand, made her way to the living room. Lauras hand lightly grazed the chair in which Anita would sit for hours upon end to recharge her synth power supply.

Laura sat in the chair beside it and placed her mug upon the table beside both chairs. She stared at the empty chair as if attempting to will Anita into materializing before her with the power of her determined gaze.

Laura had wished the moment of Anita’s departure many a time since she first laid eyes on the synth. Now that her wish had been fulfilled all that was left was the emptiness that Anita's presence left within her.

Laura had hoped that with Anita's absence she could return to the life she had prior to their meeting . that was not to be the case. Every step laura took in her own home became a heartbreaking reminder. Every moment of distraction became an involuntary recollection of the times Anita had given Laura insight into her humanity while cementing her place in the Hawkins home and in Laura's heart.

She wondered if even with miles between them if Anita thought of her or had her new found freedom in the company of her family made Laura and the Hawkins that much easier to forget.

Laura still had to adjust to calling Anita by her given name of Mia, yet to her the hardest part had been accepting that with her new awakening Mia now had the ability to choose. That choice led her to follow Leo and the rest of her Elster synth clan.

Laura told herself it was for the best especially since the last thing she wanted was to further hurt her children. How would she bring herself to explain to Toby that the feelings she no longer felt for his father Joe were the very ones she was feeling for Mia?

Laura was more than aware of her son's feelings toward Mia and the last thing she ever wanted to do was to cause him more pain. She also dared not even think of how she would explain these feelings to Sophie, who loved Mia!

Just the mere thought of it filled her with dread!

There were instances when Laura wanted to confide in Mattie, especially given the feelings she knew were beginning to develop between her daughter and Leo. Yet, she knew the uniqueness of HER particular situation which added to her fear of opening up about her predicament to anyone.

Suddenly Laura's thoughts got the best of her. She felt as if she were drowning in a sea of tumultuous emotions. Her instinct was to run out the door at full speed but she just walked calmly to a sleeping Joe who was sprawled upon the couch in blissful slumber.

Laura tapped him on the shoulder and told Joe she had pending work that she needed to finish before returning to her job but that she had left the paperwork she must look over in her office, and she needed to urgently retrieve it.

Joe yawned and rubbed his eyes to wake up and volunteered to drive her to her office to which Laura harshly countered with a firm refusal. She reminded Joe that she had neither forgotten nor forgiven him for his actions. The only reason she allowed him to return home was because of the children's intercession on his behalf and because Sophie would need his support to deal with Mia's departure.

Though visibly hurt by Laura's harsh words he understood that she needed her space to process all that had transpired. As much as he felt excluded he knew all he could do was give her time.

As Laura reached for her phone and purse from the kitchen counter and made her way to the door she muttered rather quickly to Joe that she would not take long, that he was to watch the kids while she were gone and that she would have her phone at hand were anything to happen in her absence.

Joe nodded in acknowledgment and as Laura walked out the door he defeatedly grabbed the remote control, turning on the television to the local news and resigning himself to yet another long and lonely night.

Laura could hardly contain herself as she closed the door behind her and got in her car. She took one last look at the darkened windows of her children's room, took a deep breath, put the keys in the ignition and for a moment she hesitated. Her rational self trying to regain control of her emotions, she sternly admonished herself for her reckless action. Yet her heart would not be denied. with one last deep breath Laura mustered the courage to follow her heart to the place she knew she wanted and needed to be in that instant.

Laura placed her foot on the gas pedal and drove determinedly to the place that gave her solace, the place she had shared with the two people she loved: her lost brother Tom and Mia. In that gazebo in the park she felt more at peace and in touch with those she loved than anywhere else.

Once at the park Laura parked her car and made her way to the gazebo. All the while she hoped beyond hope that somehow some way Mia would be there to greet her. As she trudged forward her heart felt as if it we're pounding a mile a minute. Her every step increased in speed till all she had was a staircase before her to traverse and the gazebo in full sight yet she still held on to hope. As Laura crossed that final threshold her heart sank in disappointment .

The dark clouds overhead foretold rain. Alone in the dark of an ominously somber night she looked up, searching in vain for the moon that had always peaked Mia’s interest. She searched along the sky hoping that wherever Mia might be that in that instant they would be looking at that moon together.

She closed her eyes and a lone tear fell. The thunder that had made itself known had now turned to rain. As she opened her eyes she saw a faint silhouette making its way toward her. Though startled, Laura's stance did not waiver. The rain began to pour as the figure drew closer yet just when Laura was readying to defend herself, lightning struck yet again. The figure had made its way past the stairs and mid way to the gazebo entrance.

It was then that she recognized that stranger. Her plea had been answered and without hesitation Laura ran through the rain into Mia's open arms and tender embrace. The rain was pouring now at full force yet to both Laura and Mia it seemed like the world had just melted away. As they held each other wordlessly the rain continued to fall.

Finally the spell was broken by the sound of lightning and Laura took Mia by the hand and led her to the inside of the gazebo. For a moment all they did was look into each others eyes, taking in each others presence as if years had passed between them when it had only been weeks.

Laura had been wearing her black trench coat with her burgundy scarf and an orange checkered shirt with black leggings. She had to look the part to convincingly sell her story to Joe. Anita, even though in possession of the money Laura had given her wanted to make sure she was recognized by Laura so she wore the same outfit she was wearing when they had seen each other last

Laura asked Mia, “What are you doing here and where's Leo and Max?”

Mia responded in her concise synth manner, “Max and Leo are not far from here,” she then continued but this time in a worried tone, “I don’t understand why, but I had to come here.”

She grabbed both of Laura's hands and held them to her own and looked into her eyes. Frightened, she said, “My father and creator had spoken of love on many occasions yet as a synth I could only surmise and theorize what it was, never to feel it,” it was at that very moment that Laura began to realize what Mia was preparing to say. As much as she had internally been waiting for one of them to say the words she knew once they were uttered there was no going back.

As Mia stepped closer Laura began to back away. Mia let go of Laura's hands and proceeded to grab her by her waist and pull her closer until they were nose to nose.

Laura was so use to being in control of every situation but with Mia she felt vulnerable and exposed. It amazed her how this beautiful sentient synth had the power to break down her walls and capture her heart.

Nothing but a mere breath away from one another and with only the rain as a witness to their forbidden love, Mia leaned next to Laura's ear and whispered, “I know you're scared.”

Laura retorted nervously, “How do you know? Let me guess you read my vitals.”

Mia smiled as she grazed the outline of Laura’s ear with the soft caress of her lips as she replied, “No Laura, it’s because I feel it too.”

As Laura's body relaxed and her tone of voice now a mere husky whisper permeated in desire, she replied, perplexed, “That is not possible. Synths don’t fear, you said it yourself once.”

Mia replied in a matter-of-fact tone, “I once told you I could not love either but I know I love you, Laura, and it scares me as much as it scares you.”

Mia made Laura's resistance waiver as their lips inched ever closer to one another.the vision of Mia and Joe suddenly appeared in laura’s head. She pushed Mia away, muttering with frustration, "What about Joe? "

Mia just held Laura tighter and looked into her eyes. She replied honestly, “Laura, I was not in control of my body nor my will as Anita. I was given an order I had to follow regardless of myself.” Then in her bluntly truthful yet hurtful manner she confronted Laura with a fact she did not want to face and said, “You're afraid to love and let yourself be loved, you keep your distance to spare yourself from being hurt again like your mother hurt you!”

Laura lowered her head and acknowledged the truth in Mia’s harsh words.

Mia, seeing the sadness she had caused in Laura, asked her to look at her. Then she spoke again. Mia said, “I am not a human, your tactics will not work on me Laura. You will not push me away as easily as you do others. I see the real you and I love you.”

It was in that moment that instinct took over Laura, and what little resistance she had left abandoned her. She leaned in and softly kissed Mia's lips. At first Mia just stood there with no reaction as Laura's lips touched hers. After a moment or two Laura's bravado began to dissipate.

To Laura it seemed Mia was checking her memory bank for a file containing this action as so to execute it. In reality Mia was just overwhelmed by this new feeling and was merely enthralled by all the things in a kiss that Laura took for granted as a human. Mia reveled in the softness of Laura's lips, the excitement it made her feel. She had never felt anything like it before. The feeling was completely different than she had been created to feel for Leo. She did not want to love and nurture Laura in the same fashion she had done for Leo. She wanted to be with Laura, to be a part of her life, not because she was created to be, but because she wanted to be.

It was then Mia snapped out of her synth thoughts and let her feelings take over.

In that instant Laura felt Mia's body relax, as it did she felt Mia reciprocate her kiss with one of her own; a kiss so deep and breath taking that Laura shuddered in response. Noticing the shudder Mia asked, “Are you cold Laura?”

Laura smiled and replied,“For a miracle of human creation you sure have a lot to learn about reading between the lines”

Mia smiled back even though she was still confused as to what Laura meant, she mentally noted that at a later time she would have to ask Laura about this business of reading between the lines. For now all Mia wanted to do was explore Laura completely and revel in this new found feeling that had awakened within her.

Mia continued to kiss Laura passionately as the rain poured. the air outside the gazebo chilled yet you would never know it because the heat being generated by those languid kisses had produced enough heat to fog the gazebo windows.

Mia leaned in, placed her hands on either sides of the collar of Laura's coat and began inching it off of Laura's shoulder and slowly down her arms. For a moment Laura hesitated and grabbed Mia's arms. Laura looked in her eyes and asked one last time, “Are you sure this is what you want?”

Mia responded, “Yes Laura! Are you?”

With that Laura had no more words left to say. Laura placed her hands at her side in submission and then proceeded to let Mia slip her trench coat off until it had fallen upon the floor. Laura then reached out and removed Mia's brown wool cap and tossed it upon the floor, never breaking eye contact.

Mia reached out and began unbuttoning Laura's shirt, not methodically or clinically, but with curious desire as she moved closer to Laura, inching her shirt ever so slowly away from her shoulder and down the length of her arms.

This time Mia was met with no resistance and in reward she kissed Laura's shoulder and neck line, which only made the need in Laura grow. Laura could no longer contain herself. She began to slowly slip off Mia's grey overcoat and raised Mia's arms above her head and proceeded to slip off her blue sweater until it was in a heap alongside her coat upon the floor.

Laura then began an assault of kisses on Mia that began on her lips and slowly blazed a trail to her upper chest as Laura reached around her to unhook her bra. As she slipped Mia’s bra off her shoulders and onto the floor, Laura contemplated the artwork which was Mia's body.

She placed eager kisses upon Mia’s skin reveling in its softness. Mia then moved in closer till their bodies touched. Mia then reached around Laura and slipped off her bra and tossed it alongside the others articles of clothing on the floor.

As their bodies touched the feel of skin against skin was overwhelming them both.

Mia was more sure than ever that she could feel for the first time. A feeling out of her own accord and not a program. Regardless of the feelings source she wanted nothing more than for it to never end.

Mia and Laura kissed once more, furiously, with a passion neither knew they possessed. When Mia's fingers traced lightly upon Laura's back, Laura used her body as leverage to push Mia towards the gazebo wall behind them. Never breaking eye contact they continued to kiss with frenetic ardor. Laura was at her breaking point . With primal hunger in her eyes she took Mia's left hand brought it to her lips and kissed it tenderly. She proceeded to place it within the confines of her leggings. Not having the ability to lie Mia could only exclaim as she looked into Laura's eyes, "You feel so warm!"

As Mia's hand reached Laura's now moistened core, Laura lost her balance and grabbed Mia's arms for support. Laura leaned her forehead against Mia's and closed her eyes for a moment. She had barely had a moment to compose herself when she felt Mia's two fingers enter her. Laura reached down once more and grabbed Mia's wrist guiding her hand back and forth until she was satisfied that Mia understood what she wanted. Mia began thrusting in a slow paced in-and-out motion until she began to notice the change in Laura's breathing patterns. Mia noted that every change of technique and thrust elicited shallower breaths from Laura followed by helpless moans that just grew like waves. Mia looked at Laura attempting to take in every sight and every sound.

synthetic variables and programming could never have prepared her for what she was feeling in that instant.

Dr. David Elster in his omnipotence had not only had the ability of creating these marvels of human like creations but unbeknownst to Laura and even Mia herself Dr. Elster had perfected the work of Toronto inventor Le Trung’s creation of “AIKO” a robot which had the capacity to simulate human orgasm. Yet all of Doctor Elster's creations were unique in that their sentient status gave them the ability to actually FEEL an orgasm not just imitate it.

Mia was about to become aware of that ability!

Mia was at mid thrust when she suddenly felt a jolt. It was as if internally a switch had been flipped, she was now on automatic pilot. Her touches no longer a precise calculation on how to give optimal pleasure but a sincere act of passion and desire.

Mia could not explain how it was happening as she herself did not know, but Laura could see the change in the gleam in those beautiful green eyes she had grown to love.

In that instant the sensory overload of Mia's eyes and her touch were enough to cause Laura's building wave of desire to take her over the edge. An orgasm so powerful that none in her youthful meanderings with Joe could ever compare. She was left spent to the point she had to rest her head on Mia’s shoulder. Laura could feel the weakness in her legs as she attempted to regain control over the rhythm of her breathing.

Laura placed a hand behind Mia’s neck and pulled her in for a tender kiss. As she closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Mia’s, she mustered the courage to ask Mia if it would be OK for her to reciprocate her amorous act.

Mia just smiled and playfully retorted, "Laura, I do not understand the question."

Laura smirked and responded,”You're gonna make me say it, aren’t you?"

Mia just smiled the smile of a quick study who had just learned how to get her way with Laura!

“FINE!” exclaimed Laura both flustered and half smiling. Laura’s facial expression suddenly became serious and in the most desire drenched of tones she asked, “Mia, may I ravage you?”

Laura was not a weak human woman on any account, so it more than surprised Mia that she would ASK for what so many others had only taken. To Mia this was a foreign concept, as was Mia’s sentience to Laura.

Mia extended her hand and placed her palm upon Laura's cheek as she replied, "I am your’s, Laura , for as long as you wish me to be.”

Laura took one hand and places it over Mia's hand, which was still on her cheek. She then masterful began to slowly inch her hand downward until she reached the edge of Mia's jeans. With pride and mastery, Laura proceeded to one handedly unbutton Mia’s jeans. She then unzipped them with eager intention.

Laura was curious to say the least as to what would happen next, but never as expectant as Mia who did not want to disappoint Laura. Laura had already set in her mind that regardless of the outcome her feelings for Mia would not waiver because of it.

Both women closed their eyes and held their breaths as Laura's hand slowly slid into her jeans and ever so near to Mia’s nether core.

Laura had been preparing for the worst, conjecturing to herself what this might be like but she then talked herself out of backing down and slowly slid her two fingers into Mia. Mia and Laura both gasped in unison at what they both felt. Mia felt completely human on the inside. Laura's fingers explored eagerly this new terrain that was just as her own,moist and inviting.

Mia could not believe she was feeling this. For all rational accounts this should not be happening, yet it was! She could feel and react accordingly to Laura's touches. Her body moving out of its own accord, grinding ever slowly and sensually against Laura's body. Yearning for more, she had no control over it. Laura could feel Mia's eager response to her touch which in turn made her that much more enthusiastic in her assaults on Mia. She thrust slowly, building within Mia a surge of want like she had never experienced before. Mia could not contain herself, she wanted more. Without realizing it her body began to push against Laura. With her superior strength she was slowly pushing Laura back. Laura responded accordingly by increasing the speed and intensity of her thrusts until she felt Mia’s body tense.

Laura could now feel Mia's core slowly taking her in, gripping her until it was more than they both could take. Mia grabbed Laura's arms and held tightly as she leaned her forehead against Laura's for support. 

It was then in the ebb of their passion that Laura and Mia reached orgasm. All that could be heard were the languid groans of pleasure between them intermingling in the night. 

Though Mia could not sweat, nor could she shed tears Laura could see the release in her eyes, the relaxation of her body as she loosed her grip on Laura's arms, not to mention her throbbing core which pulsed upon laura's fingers which were still nestled within her.

As Laura tentatively extricated her fingers from Mia’s center, Mia whimpered disappointingly. Laura then kissed her mid whimper to qualm her absence within Mia.

Then as the rain stopped, reality set in. Both Mia and Laura knew they had their respective families to return to. Silently they began the task of putting on the articles of clothing they had taken off in heated passion, this time in somber silence. Both were fully aware that they might never see one another again.

As Mia placed her scarf around her neck and readied to leave, Laura grabbed her by the arm, pulled her in by the edges of her scarf, and gave her one last passionate kiss.

The kiss ended and Mia leaned in next to Laura's ear and said, "I am your’s, Laura, for as long as you wish me to be.”

Mia began to walk away as words began to build in Laura, but she was fighting the urge to say them . She rationalized and rationalized and admonished herself for how crazy the whole situation seemed, but as Mia reached the staircase, Laura threw caution to the wind and screamed it as loud as she could not even pondering who could hear her she bellowed with all her heart and might ,

“No matter where you go never forget that I love you, Mia!”

From a distance and now nothing but a mere shadow before her Mia uttered in reply, ”I love you too Laura."

As Mia disappeared in the distance Laura took a deep breath and began her journey back to her reality, her family, and an awaiting Joe!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> interesting side note: Toronto inventor Le Trung is a real life inventor whose creation of “AIKO” actually is a robot which had the capacity to simulate human orgasm.


	3. The vessel Ch. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that they have crossed the line they were never meant to cross Laura and Mia must return to their families and lives and contend with what will eventually come

As laura made her way home she attempted in vain to disguise the giddy smile plastered on her face.It had been a very long time since laura had been this happy. Life with joe had become just a part of her daily routine.For a while the only love in laura's life were her children,that is until mia came along. 

Laura was still battling her feelings admonishing herself for its ramifications but truth be told she could not control the feelings mia had awoken within her. 

Laura mentally prepared to feign a normalcy that no longer existed,not only for the sake of her children but for the safety of the synths.Laura knew good and well that if joe were ever to know what had transpired between herself and mia he would most surely betray them once more under the guise of protection and the family’s best interest.

As laura drove into the driveway she took a deep breath and composed herself as she took the keys out of the ignition. She cleared her mind of all things mia and donned a serious face for the return to her real life.

Joe had seen the gleam of light glide across the wall as he sat on the couch watching the local news . He made his way to the window,saw laura and quickly returned to his place on the couch so as not to elicit yet another round of arguments from laura .

Joe had only been seated a few minutes when he heard the key turn on the door . Laura walked in, she stoically looked at joe and joe stoically returned the glare.She then closed the door behind her. As she placed her purse and other items upon the table near the door she asked joe,”how are the children” to which joe replied dryly,  
“ they are still sound asleep”

Laura replied ,” good,i'll head upstairs and kiss them goodnight then i’ll get ready for bed because i have a long day tomorrow”  
Joe chimed in , “ i’ll come with you” too which laura sternly replied,” joe do i have to remind you where we stand?” 

joe quickly found it was better to not push his luck so soon so he replied calmly,  
“ I understand you go on i’ll be up later to give the kids a good night kiss before turning in for the night here on the couch.” 

As laura turned to make her way up the stairs joe looks at laura with longing in his eyes and a small smile softly says,”goodnight laura” 

Laura replies blankly “ goodnight joe” 

As laura reached the top of the stairs joe stood there and mumbled under his breath’  
” it's gonna take patience and time but i’m gonna win you back laura, no matter what it takes”

Laura traverses the hallway opening each door to check in first on Mattie ,then Toby and finally at young Sophie's room where she stops in to give her a small kiss before making her way to her own bedroom. 

Once in the confines of her own room laura lets her facade fall as the thought of mia crosses her mind as she readies herself for bed. The mere thought of every touch and every kiss transporting her back into mia’s waiting arms . 

As laura lay in bed all her thoughts converged on the sights, sounds and feel of the rain as it fell in the midst of their encounter .

Laura's imagination got the best of her and she brought to life the image of mia laying there beside her looking into those green eyes in which laura could see the depth of more than just mechanical parts . 

Laura reached out and pressed a hand against her love's face and in an instant mia was gone she took a deep breath,closed her eyes and resigned herself to falling into morpheus embrace instead.

Later that evening joe made his way up the stairs and as laura had done before him he traversed the hallway making his way into every room to give his children a kiss before turning in for the night.  
Before making his way down the stairs to the sleeping area he had been relegated to on the couch joe realized he needed another sheet because it tended to be cold downstairs especially after it rained. As not to disturb he made his way into the room he once shared with laura and tip toed into the room . 

Joe tiptoed making his way to the closet to get what he came for and stealthily make his way out. All was going well until joe had gotten half away to the door . Laura began to mumble and moan in her sleep. Curious joe stopped in his tracks and began to back track ,he tip toed to the edge of the bed where laura was facing the opposite direction towards the window and he then knelt beside her and began to listen. 

Amid langid moans laura mumbled ,  
”can i have my way with you” to which joe almost gasped in surprise. Laura moaned once more and she mumbled something incoherent to joe and so he leaned in closer that is when laura mouthed in a whisper, “i wish you didn’t have to go because i love you”

Joe smiled believing that subconsciously he was the star in laura's dream. 

So confident was he that he rose from his kneeling position and tip toed out of the room with a renewed pep in his step believing that though still disappointed and angered at him laura could not deny her feelings for him as father of her children and the man she had chosen to share her life with.

It was not mere moments after joe closed the door behind him that laura's subconscious betrayed her and she uttered as clear as day,  
” Mia please don’t go, i love you” Laura reached in her sleep for a mia so far away from her reach now and as a lowly tear fell from her closed eyes.

somewhere in a crowded station mia sat with max and leo attempting to leave town to lay low until the dust settled and they could buy the proper equipment necessary to properly pit themselves against their greatest threat Dr. Hobbs. .


	4. The Vessel Ch.4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The remaining elster clan have managed to find an escape route to momenterally escape Dr .Hobbs and his minions now Mia must decide between erasing her memories or putting everyone she loves in danger by continuing to see laura

As Mia and leo sat at the bus station waiting for the arrival of their bus to Clovelly, Leo couldn't help but to awkwardly stare at the floor building the courage to ask mia about what he suspected was happening between she and laura.

Mia was not human by birth but through her emotions and an unknown X factor that set her and her particular synth clan apart from all others. with that being said tact was not one of mia's strong suits. 

mia felt as if there was something leo wanted to ask but couldn't word. 

Mia looked at leo with those depth filled eyes and matter of factly said, " i love her leo" at that moment leo was completely caught off guard ,Max on the other hand had a smile plastered from ear to ear and reached out to hold mia's hands as he earnestly said ,"i'm happy for you sister,laura is very good human"

Leo just sighed in resignation and asked mia if she understood what would happen if joe or anyone else for that matter were to find out about them. 

she simply replied that she realized that if joe were to find out that he would feel betrayed and hurt as for the others she realized she could not calculate nor infer on their reaction. 

Leo felt it was his duty ,not his joy to clarify to mia what was awaiting both she and laura if she continued her pursuit of laura . leo began by clearing his throat then he looked into mia's eyes and said," mia if anyone and i mean anyone outside of our family circle finds out that you are a synth and that you and laura are...... involved,

" leo then clears his throat awkwardly and continues,

" laura will lose her children to joe who would more than likely take them away from her; not to mention that two human women together is already frowned upon mia"

as he looked at her fixedly he asked, "can you even surmise the magnitude of the backlash laura would receive if someone were to know she had become amorously involved with a synth?"

Mia by this time was a bit overwhelmed and confused to say the least.

a part of her understood what leo was saying not in the ramifications of sexuality but in the human perception of what interactions between synths and humans were acceptable. 

something at that moment made mia feel pain ,pain a feeling she was never to be privy to as a synthetic human but this pain was not a physical ailment but something more . 

mia felt a heavy blow to her system; a shock, a jolt ,a subtle hiccup to her core at the thought of never being in laura's presence again but she knew that for the sake of both their families that is just what she must do.

yet would mia be able to cast those memories away ? how would she make it through her immortal existence with the memory of laura etched in the recesses of her synth database? she knew she would not and in that moment she knew what she needed to do . 

Mia made it more than clear that once they arrived in the small town of Clovelly and were settled she would ask Leo to erase any and every memory of the Hawkins family, specifically those pertaining to laura.

Mia did not want to compromise laura's life especially after all laura had done for her during her time in the Hawkins household. 

The clock on the station wall marked 11:30 p.m. as the voice over the loudspeaker called passengers to embark on the midnight bus ride to clovelly . 

Max, Leo, and Mia tried as conspicuously as possible to make their way to the bus line ever alert to the presence of anyone who might be there to apprehend them in behest of Dr.Hobbs.

for the sake of their synth brother Fred and a distant Niska they could not afford to be caught . 

they must remain free to attempt to unite and thwart the evil plans of Dr.hobbs whose only mission in life was to find the elster clan and destroy them as the scientific abomination he deemed them to be.

leo held the strap of his backpack ever tighter over his shoulder while holding on to mia's hand as max adjusts a baseball cap he had found in a chair near the seating area they had been near.

with every step they inched ever closer to the buses entrance and a little closer to freedom. the air was thick with the tension leo felt that at any minute they would be surprised by one of the Dr's henchmen .

Yet time had favored them and as they now set in the bus they were thankful of this momentary reprieve.A reprieve they knew would in no way last because dr. hobbs would not rest until the Elsters were destroyed.

leo was finally able to let his guard down when the bus was finally in movement he took a deep breath of relief and looked beside him to his right to check on max .

as always all smiles happy to be with his family even though max too was feeling a similar pain like mias over having to leave his brother fred deactivated and hidden away as to be untraceable by the doctors henchmen. 

though sad max was confident in leo's ability to bring them all together once more . for now he would allow himself this moment's peace . 

Leo then turned to mia and was saddened because as she stared expressionless out of the bus window he knew what was weighing heavily on her mind . as badly as he felt for her , he knew he was right to warn mia. 

Leo wanted nothing more than to keep mia safe even if keeping her safe meant destroying any dreams of happiness that she thought she might have with laura. it was for their own good he told himself as he closed his eyes and began drifting into sleep resting a bit before reaching their destination.

mia reveled once more in her thoughts letting them overtake her .this one last time before she did what she must do to preserve the sanity in her sentience and those she loved . 

Mia loved laura of that there was no doubt but she did not want to harm her with that love. 

as their kiss blazed a trail of ardent memories in her mind a tear managed to fall from the eyes of this beautiful greeneyed pinocchio ,who in that moment would have given anything to have been a real girl so that she could run to the arms of the woman she loved . 

mia knew that it would never be the case and so she resigned herself to her synth fate and her duties to her elster clan the only real tangibles in her sentient life!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clovelly is an actual small tourist town in  
>  Devon 4HRS & 10 MIN from the ,UK.


	5. The Vessel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new lease on life slowly  
>  Threatens to turn Laura and Mia's love into a distant memory , until Niska becomes the catalyst for an epic upheaval

Time had run a slow and steady course and many things had changed within that time Laura and Mia had spent apart . 

Mia had reverted to playing her synth role for the purpose of self preservation and reconnaissance. 

In an attempt at attaining some semblance of what she considered a normal human life Mia went against her own elster clan. 

In the hopes that Ed the cafe owner she had found employment with and a fondness for would help her to erase from the recesses of her sentient mind what she could not allow herself to feel for Laura Hawkins.

Laura too had taken the leaps and strides she could to attempt to restore her family life to a semblance of normalcy of its own all while attempting to ignore the love that had given her a new life .

In mia laura had found renewed strength to move mountains yet she did not want to stop mia from living a full life . 

Many a day had passed in which laura could barely contain the urge to walk out the door to find mia and tell her that all she wanted was to be by her side yet, her duty as a mother would not allow her to . 

As Laura watched Sophie from the doorway as joe read her a story before bed laura convinced herself she was doing the right thing.

Laura wanted her daughter to have the family she never had .She wanted all her children to be spared the troubled family life she had shared with her mother growing up all those many years ago.

For her children's happiness laura would feign a marriage so long ago lost in time,willingly.

What she would not forfeit was her legal career to appease Joe's wishes. 

Laura had come too far in her advancements of attaining legal precedence towards Synth autonomy & freedom to play the doting housewife to a man she now needed marriage counseling to see as a husband.

Every day away from Mia was one in which Laura now had to keep herself tied to her work and children so as not to feel it. 

Mia had given herself completely to Ed, trusting him .

Mia hoped beyond hope that he would offer her what she seeked,a mundane human existence with someone to love out of her own free sentient will.

Though miles apart Laura and Mia shared that same path. A path which stretched out before them built upon the foundation of the lie they were telling themselves .

A lie that would keep them apart . No matter how they cared for one another both knew the dangers were they ever to acknowledge their feelings openly.

The distance between them was slowly but surely turning them into a fond memory to one another as they began to fall into to their respective roles in the new lives they had chosen for themselves.

That is, until the day Niska appeared at Laura's doorstep setting in motion events that would change everything


End file.
